Puck handlinghttp://usahockeymagazine.com/taxonomy/term/123/all
enPuck Handling And Puck Protectionhttp://usahockeymagazine.com/article/puck-handling-and-puck-protection
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With Zach Parise </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/node/99">USA Hockey Magazine</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/tips_Parise3.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="380" height="293" /></span></p>
<p>Next to skating, puck handling may be the most important skill you need. The ability to maneuver with a puck in the open ice or in traffic is a skill that everyone can improve upon.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/tip1.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="220" height="191" /></span></p>
<h3>Tip #1</h3>
<p>Keep your hands away from your body when handling the puck. This will allow you a full range of motion. If you keep your hands in tight, your head is likely to be down looking at the puck. It also limits your reach.</p>
<h3>Tip #2</h3>
<p>Keep your head up and use your peripheral vision to watch the puck and what&rsquo;s happening around you. If you&rsquo;re constantly looking down at the puck, you&rsquo;re not likely to have it long. You&rsquo;ll lose it to an opponent, or you could get your bell rung. Keep your head up to survey the ice for teammates, open ice and opponents.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/tip3.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="220" height="171" /></span></p>
<h3>Tip #3</h3>
<p>Less is more when it comes to skating through the neutral zone with the puck. When you&rsquo;re skating in open ice, push the puck ahead on your forehand. This will allow you to skate faster and be ready to pass or shoot quicker. You don&rsquo;t need to over-handle the puck; it could slow you down.</p>
<h3>Tip #4</h3>
<p>Use your body to protect the puck. This is especially important in tight areas, such as in the corners or in front of the net where there&rsquo;s a lot of traffic.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/tip5.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="220" height="211" /></span></p>
<h3>Tip #5</h3>
<p>Some of the best drills to improve your puck handling and puck protection skills are games we&rsquo;ve all played on the pond, blacktop or rink. Playing 1-on-1 or 1-on-2 keep away will help you learn to maneuver in tight spaces with the puck while keeping your body between the puck and your opponent.</p>
<p>Another good game is musical pucks, which is similar to musical chairs. Start out with 10 skaters and eight pucks. On the first whistle, eight players skate around with a puck, practicing puck handling and puck protection while the other two try to take the puck away. On the second whistle play stops. Anyone without a puck is out. Take two more pucks away and keep going until there&rsquo;s only one puck left.</p>
<h3>Remember This &hellip;</h3>
<p>Did you ever wonder why so many soccer players have good hockey skills? It&rsquo;s because they use their feet as an extension of their stick. Don&rsquo;t get happy feet when a pass is in your skates. Learn to deaden the puck as it hits your skate blade and guide it up to your stick. This is a great skill to work on in practice.</p>
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<p><em>photo by Dave Sandford</em></p>
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<p><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/parise.thumbnail.png" alt="" title="" class="image image-thumbnail " width="87" height="100" /></span></p>
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http://usahockeymagazine.com/article/puck-handling-and-puck-protection#commentsHockey tipsPuck handlingPuck protectionZach PariseTips from the StarsFri, 29 May 2009 15:21:30 +0000345 at http://usahockeymagazine.com